Bristle feed for brush machines



June 11, 1929. w. s. ELLIOT 1,716,581

BRISTLE FEED FOR BRUSH MACHINES File y 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JEE- I NVEN+C1 V:

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7 huh MA June 11, 1929. w, ELLIOT 1,716,581

BRISTLE FEED FOR BRUSH MACHINES F e M y 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' 16 3.? 1' TIEAL- 'INVENLEH/ Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. ELLIOT, OF NORTHAMPTON, IEASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PRO-PHY- LAC-TIC BRUSH COMPANY, OF NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BRISTLE FEED FOR BRUSH MACHINES.

Application filed May 2,

The present invention relates to mechanism for supplying bristles to the tuft setting mecl'ianisms of brush machines and particularly for compressing the mass of bristles in the reservoir to maintain them a constant pressure to be fed to the tuft setting mechanisms. Heretotore in machines of this kind as actually employed commercially, the bristles in the reservoir have been pushed forward to the throat by hand or by a weight or spring operated plunger with the result that a large part of the operators time has been occupied in keeping the bristles in the reservoir at a constant pressure so that the bristle feed would be uniform. One object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a positive automatic bristle feed which will place constant and uniform pressure on the bristles in the reservoir and which will require attention at infrequent intervals or only when it is necessary to supply additional bristles. Further objects are to provide mechanism which will permit the insertion of additional bristles quickly; to provide means which will. at all times inform the operator as to the amount of pressure on the bristles; to provide a bristle reservoir in which the bristles will not jam at the delivery end; and to pro ide means for changing the vertical position of the bristles relative to the knotpicker.

In the accom ianying drawings, the bristle feed embodying the present invention is shown as constructed for use in machines employing a s0-called knot-picker or needle having a notch in one side as the tuft separating mechanism. It will be understood, however, that the present invention is equally applicable to other types oi machines, this type being selected for illustration be ause that is the type of machine with which the present invention has been put in actual use.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. and the novel features thereot will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

1925. Serial No. 27,492.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail elevation of the split nut mechanism.

Fig. 4 an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3, the split nut being shown in the closed position.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the split nut open.

Fig. (l is a detail on an enlarged scale of the screw-operating mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, at A is shown the nose oi the tufter, at B the punch, and at C a bristle channel of a brush making machine of a well-known construction. The bristle reservoir is shown at 11 and is adapted to receive bristles D which are arranged parallel with each other and stand on end resting on the bottom of the reservoir. The knot picker is designated E. The two sine walls 12 12 of the reservoir are nearly parallel with each other and are slotted, as shown at 13. Together with the bottom 9 they serve to contain the bristles and guide a plunger ll provided with lugs 15 which extend out through the slots 13. The plunger 14 is, there'lore, slidable in the reservoir 11 and serves to exert pressure on the bristles D and force them toward the bristle channel C.

The bottom 9 of the reservoir is hinged to a fixed part of the machine as shown at so that it may be raised or lowered slightly as required. The delivery end of the bottom is supported on an adjusting screw 61 carried in a bracket 62. By this means the mass of bristles may be ra' ed or lowered slightly so that they will bear the correct relation to the position of the needle or knot picker E.

In practice I also make one side wall with i 2's end a separate from the remainder of the channel and form it with a slotted lug in which is a clamping screw By this means the end of the side wall. may he sprung ontwzu'dly laterally so that the two side walls will diverge the delivery end of the reservoir being slightly the wider by a small fraction of an inch. I find that this arran ement effectively prevents jamming of the bristles as they are pressed forward by the mechanism which will be described later. The divergence between the side walls is not sufficient to interfere at all 'ith the movement of the plunger 14.

Beneath the reservoir 11 is located an actuating screw 16 one end of which is supported in a bracket 17. At 18 is shown a carriage having two upwardly extending arms 19 which are adapted to engage the lugs on the plunger 14. The carriage 18 contains a split nut (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5) the halves of which, 21 and 22, are slidable horizontally and cross-wise of the bristle reservoir in guideways in the carriage 18. The halves of the nut are normally separated by springs 23, but when closed together engage the screw 16 and cause the carriage 18 and plunger 14 to be moved lengthwise of the bristle reservoir 11 whenever the screw 16 is rotated either automatically or by hand.

As it is important that the split nut be capable of being quickly disengaged from the screw or re-engaged with it, the following mechanism is provided. Secured to the underside of the carriage 18 is a cross member 24 which guides two sliding pins 25 which are secured to each other by a cross-head 26. The upper ends of the pins engage in holes 27 in the halves 21 and 22 of the split nut and therefore will hold them in engagement with the screw against the action of the springs 23. The pins 25 are urged upward by springs 28 the lower ends of which rest against the cross piece 24 and the upper ends of which rest against collars 29 secured to the pins. It will therefore be seen that whenever the halves of the split nut are pressed together by the operator against the action of the springs 23, 23 the springs 28 will force the pins 25 up into the holes 27 and lock the halves of the split nut in engagement with the screw. T0 with draw the pins and permit the halves of the split nut to snap open, I provide a cam 30 mounted on a shaft 31 carried in brackets 32 secured to the carriage 18. The shaft 31 is provided with a knurled handle 33 by means of which it may be rotated. The rotation of the shaft 31 causes the cam 30 to engage the cross piece 26 and move it downward, withdrawing the pins from the holes in the halves of the split nut and permitting the split nut to snap open. W hen the operator desires to re-engage the split nut, it is only necessary to press the halves of the nut together when the reverse action automatically takes place.

The screw 16 is provided on its outer or right-hand end (see Fig. 2) with a knurled hand wheel 35 by means of which it may be turned by the operator to obtain the initial pressure after filling the reservoir, but it is also given its regular positive movement by automatic mechanism connected to the operating parts of the machine. On the left-hand end of the screw is a ratchet 36. This ratchet is engaged by a pawl 37 pivoted at 38 to a swinging member 39 which is pivoted on a sleeve 40 surrounding the screw 16. The sleeve or bushing 40 is carried in a bracket 41 secured to the frame of the machine and which therefore partly supports that end of the screw 16. To this bracket 41 is pivoted a stop pawl 42 which prevents reverse movement of the screw. The swinging block 39 is engaged by a push rod 43 which is moved up and down by a cam 44 rotatable on one of the working shafts 45 of the machine. It will, therefore be seen that the rotation of the shaft 45 raises and lowers the push rod and causes the pawl 37 to revolve the ratchet wheel 36 and consequently to turn the screw 16 and move the plunger 14 lengthwise of the bristle reservoir 11.

The pitch of the screw and the number of teeth in the ratchet wheel 36 are calculated to feed forward the plunger 14 at a speed which will exactly correspond to the speed at which the bristles are removed from the reservoir. The plunger 14 therefore exerts a continuous uniform positive and powerful pressure on the bristles in the bristle reservoir.

In practice, I find that it is important for the operator to be informed at all times of the amount of pressure which the plunger 14 is exerting on the bristles. Accordingly, I provide the plunger with a bristle engaging member 52, carried on spring pins 53, which are surrounded by springs 54. The spring pins are fixed to the bristle engaging member 52, and slide in the plunger 14 come pressing the springs 54. Secured to the upper edge of the member 52 is a dial 55 which overlies the top of the plunger 14. This dial is slotted as shown at 0 and pin 56 secured to the plunger extends up through the slot. This pin is connected to one end of a link 57 the other end ofwhich is pivoted to a swinging hand 58 pivoted at 59 to the dial. The dial is calibrated as shown in the drawings to indicate different positions of the hand and consequently the relative positions of the plunger 14 and bristle engaging member 52. As their position depends on the pressure applied to the springs by the plunger, the hand and dial indicate at any given time the pressure which is being e2;- erted on the bristles. The operator is thus informed when his machine is set correctly after inserting bristles in the reservoir, and also at any time when there is any variation from the proper pressure. 51 find in practice that this positive uniform pressure results in much improved uniformity of action of lit the machine and that much less trouble with the tuft separating mechanism results.

To insert additional bristles in the reservoir when required the split nut is disengaged from the screw and the plunger is drawn back. The bristles are put in place and the plunger is pushed up against them and the split nut re-engaged. The operator then turns the screw 16 by the hand nut 35 until the plunger exerts the requisite pressure on the bris-itles as shown by the indi cater. Thereafter the auton'iatic mechanism will feed bristles and will maintain this uniform positive pressure on the bristles.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. The improved bristle feeding mechanism for brush machines comprising a reservoir, a periodically acting device for removing a predetermined number of bristles from the reservoir, a plunger in said reservoir, and means operating step by step imparting a positive intermittent movement of the plunger lengthwise ot the reservoir.

2. In combination with a bristle reservoir and a periodically acting device for removing a predetermined number of bristles from the reservoir, a plunger slidable in the reservoir, and means operated by and in time with the bristle removing means for giving the plunger a step by step forward move ment lengthwise of the reservoir su'l'licient to compensate for the bristles removed from the reservoir.

In combination with a bristle reservoir having a plunger movable therein and a periodically acting device for removing a pre determined number of bristles from the reservoir, and common means for actuating the bristle removing means and imparting a step by step movement to said plunger whereby the step by step forward movement of the plunger lengthwise of the reservoir compensates for the bristles removed from the reservoir.

4. The improved bristle feeding mechanism which includes a reservoir, a periodically acting device for removing a predetermined quantity of bristles from the reservoir, a follower movable in said reservoir, and means for positively moving the follower against the bristles, the follower including a yieldable bristle engaging plate and pressure indicating means operated by the movement of the plate to indicate the pressure exerted by the follower on the bristles in the reservoir.

5. The improved bristle feeding mechanism for brush machines comprising a bristle reservoir, a periodically acting device for removing a predetermined quantity of bristles from the reservoir, a plunger, a bristle engaging plate carried by said plunger yielding means between said plate and the plunger, and mechanism comprising a dial and a hand to indicate the relative positions of the said plate and plunger, the said dial being secured to one of said last mentioned members and the hand being operated by movement of the other of said members relatively to the member to which the dial is secured.

6. The improved bristle feeding mechanism for brush machines comprising a bristle reservoir, a periodically acting device for removing a predetermined quantity of bristles from the reservoir, a plunger therein including a bristle engaging plate carried by the plunger, springs between the plate and the plunger, a dial secured to one of said two last mentioned members, a pin secured to the other of said members, a hand on said dial and means connecting the pin and said hand whereby movement of the said hand will indicate the position of the plate relatively to the plunger and consequently the pressure exerted by the plunger on the contents of the bristle reservoir.

7. The improved bristle feeding mechanism for brush machines comprising a bristle reservoir, a periodically acting device for removing a. predetermined quantity of bristles from the reservoir, a sliding plunger, a screw giving the plunger a positive sliding movement along the reservoir and ratchetmechanism connected with a moving part of the machine for rotating the screw.

8. The improved bristle feeding mechanism for brush machines including a bristle reservoir, a periodically acting device for removing a predetermined quantity of bristles from the reservoir, a sliding plunger in said reservoir, a screw lengthwise of the reservoir, means detachably interconnecting the plunger and screw, and means for rotating the screw and positively moving the plunger along the reservoir through the medium of the first mentioned means.

9. The improved bristle feeding mechanism for brush machines comprising a bristle reservoir, a periodically acting device for removing a predetermined quantity of bristles from the reservoir, a sliding plunger, a screw lengthwise of the reservoir, hand-operated means for rotating the screw, releasable means interconnecting said screw and plunger, and automatic means for rotating the screw in time with the bristle removing device.

10. The improved bristle feeding mechaism for brush machines comprising a bristle reservoir having a slotted wall, a periodically acting device for removing a predetermined quantity of bristles from the reservoir, a plunger having a lug protruding through the slot in the wall, a carriage having a portion engaging the lug and includ ing a split nut, a screw engaging the split nut, and means operated by a moving part m ex;

of the machine to give the screw a positive motion in: time with the bristle remeving device. l i

11. The improved bristle feeding necha- 5 nisln for brush 'ineChins comprising a brig tle reservoir having a slotted 'wall, a periodically acting device for rel'noving a predeterminecl quantity of bristles from the-reservoir, a plunger movable Within said. reser voira nd heving a lug projecting through 10 the slotted Wall, El- SCIGW, hand-operated detacheble'cennectiens between the screw and the phinger, and means Operated by the ma' chine for rotating the Screw.

In testimony whereof I 211i); my signature.

WILLIAM S. ELLIOT 

